Rotating-beam-tube fatigue testing machine



May 22, 1-945. T. T. dBEG ROTATING-BEAM-TUBE FAITIGUE TESTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet l Av we iv 7-0, BERG TU/Q5770 Filed Aug. 25, 1943 Est mu Emu wummb y. 1945- T. T. OBERG ROTATING-BEAM-TUBE FATIGUE TESTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 25, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 7.- 055 7521 22%. zf-os-A z/s y 1945- T. T. OBERG 2,376,379

ROTATING-BEAM-TUBE FATIGUE TESTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 25, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet a: I

is. LOWE'E PORT/0N 72295 7. OBEPG May 22, 1945.- -T-. T. OBERG ROTATING-BEAMLTUBE FATIGUE TESTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug.; 25, 1943 Tal a-5' 7. 085/?6 0/? Iver;

May 22,1945. T T, OBERG 2,376,379

ROTATING-BEAM-TUBE FATIGUE TESTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 25, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 4%! 37 Patented May 22, 1945 fUNlTED UBE FATIGUE TESTING ROTATING-BEAM-T MACHIN v Ture T. Oberg, Dayton, Ohio Application August 25, 1943, Serial No. 499,884

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) 1 Claim.

rotates, particles farther from the axis of rotation being, of course, subjected to the greater stresses.

In designing testing apparatus of this character, it is customary to provide test bars and means for holding the ends of a test bar secured in openings which extend into the rotatable hollow spindles of spaced-apart bearing heads, the head being pivotally supported in a frame on horizontal axes which are normal to the axes of rotation of the spindles, so that the interfacing ends of the bearing heads maybe tilted downward by a bending load applied intermediate the pivotal points of the two heads, whereby the axis of the test bar bows downwardly. ilet remains in a vertical axial plane while the test bar is rotated.

Obviously, as the mid-portion of the test bar bows downward, the linear-distance between its ends shortens, and heretofore, the provision which has been made in the spindles for taking care of this shortening has not had antifriction characteristics, with the result that when a bending load was applied, the specimen was also subjected to a slight tension in the direction of its longitudinal axis. It is therefore one object of this invention to provide means whereby the bearing heads and their pivoting means may move relatively closer together to compensate for the shortening above referred to with minimum tendency to place the specimen in tension.

Heretofore, in. machines of this class, a single pivoting means only has been provided on each bearing head, for permitting downward tilting of the interfacing ends of the heads, whereby variation of the applied stress was had only by change in the applied load.

it is therefore another object of this invention to provide an additional pair of pivots on each head, each farther removed from the point of application of the load, whereby a much greater stress may be applied with a given load, when that is desirable, because of the increased mechanical advantage.

Another object of the invention is to incorporate a beam balance in a machine of this type and overcome the difllculties incident thereto.

Other objects will'be apparent after a consideration of the following description taken with reference to the drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine withthe beam balance hung underneath.

Figs. 2, 2a and 212 show one of the bearing heads in plan, elevation, and end view respectively, the plan view being partly in longitudinal axial section showing the ball bearings within the heads in which the spindles rotate.

Fig. 3 is an axial section through one of the spindle showing the collet mechanism for gripping the ends of the test bars.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the bedplate taken at l i of Fig. l. I

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse section through one of the pivoting bearings taken as at 5-5 of Fig. l. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary transverse section through one of theknife-edge pivots upon which the load hangs, the section being taken at t-e of Fig. l.

Fig. '7 shows an aligning bar used for testing the alignment of the spindles of the two-heads, one with the other, to ensure that the axes of the two spindles are in the same vertical plane.

Fig. 8 shows a specimen to be tested.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the drawings,

Referring now to the drawings, a bedplate 9 is mounted on two longitudinally extending i beams it, the ends of which are supported on suitable,

leg structures ii.

Mounted on the extreme right end of the bedplate 9 is an electric motor it with a buil'-on gear box it, the motor and gear box being of a standard, commercially available pattern with means associated with the gear box to vary the speed of the output shaft Iii. An electric switch H2 is placed on the bedplate 9 for controlling the motor i2. A flexible shaft assembly it drivably connects the output shaft it to the spindle assembly iii of the bearing head assembly it, the flexible shaft assembly being joined to the output shaft it by a key 66 and to the spindle assembly i5 by spline means 6d. The motor and gear-box unit it-ld also has provision for some longitudinal movement on the bedplate e, which becomes available upon loosening the bolts i1, whereby the length of the flexible shaft i3 i not critical, and no unwanted loading will be applied by end thrust in these-connections.

The spindle assembly I5 is rotatably supported in the housing ii of the bearing head i8 by ball bearings it (see Fig. 2), the housing 2| being in turn pivotally supportedon transverse axes 20 and 22' provided by trunnions 23 carrying ball bearings 25, the ball bearings being in turn supported in pillow blocks 21 (see Fig. 1). Pillow blocks 21 are fast'on the bedplate 9, one on each side of the bearing head, the pillowblocks being fitted closeup thereto to prevent lateral movement of the bearing head with respect to the bedplate. Since the bearing head |8 may obviously not rock on both axes 20 and 22 at the same time, the ball bearings which provide one of the axes are removed when it is desired to rock on the other. Removing the screws 29, which secure the caps 3| to the blocks 21, facilitates removing the ball bearings which are heldon the trunnions 23 by screws 33 (see Fig. 2). As will be hereinafter explained, the loading is so arranged that the front end 24 of the bearing head |8 tips downward when the load is applied. The transverse axis 20 extend through the center of gravity of the head, while the transverse axis 22 is considerably removed therefrom.

The spindle assembly I 5, shown in axial section in Fig. 3, consists of a tubular shaft 35, on the ends of which the ball bearings I9 (see Fig. 2) are press fitted. Closely fitted to the inside of the spindle is a collet clamping sleeve 31 which has an annular groove around its outside into which the screw 39 fits to hold the sleeve positioned in the spindle. The ends of the sleeve 31 are internally tapered so that externally tapered split collets 4| may be forced into the sleeve tapers to reduce the internal diameter of the collets and thereby clamp the end of the test bar.

collet-adjusting screws 43 are threaded into the ends of the spindle for forcing the collets 4| into the tapered ends of the sleeve 31, the rear screw 43 being provided with a long tubular por- .tion 10 in order that it may reach its collet. Key pins 4-5 are driven into openings in sleeve 37! through clearance openings in the spindle 35, and U-shaped slots in the thinner end of the collets straddle these pins to keep the collets from turning in the sleeve when being tightened by the screws 43. Collet-withdrawing members 49 at one end have hooks 5| which extend into a groove in the inside of the collets, and, at the other end, have an annular rib 53, which lies behind a shoulder in the clampscrews 43, whereby unscrewing f the screw 43 withdraws the collet from the spindle. Flanges 55 provide shoulders against which ball bearings I9 may rest. An annular rib 51 has a series of circumferentially spaced apart holes into which a plug (see Fig. 2) may be inserted through an opening in the top of the housing 2| to keep the spindle l5 from rotating when the collets are being tightened.

The left-end bearing head assembly 30 is substantially like the right bearing head assembly I8 just described, the ball bearings and their axes 26-48 being spaced the same as the axes -22, while the spindle and the collet mechanism are substantially identical. The mounting, however, is somewhat different, that is, the pillow blocks 40 are not fast on the bedplate 9, but are fast on a plate 63, which is longitudinally slidable on.

the bedplate, as shown in Fig. 4, whereby it may be secured to the bedplate by the nut 65 when it is in the desired position.

The mounting of the left-end head differs from that of the right-end head in still another particular, that is, in the support of the trunnion ball bearings 25. Instead of holding the trunnion ball bearings in an annular pocket provided in the block 21 and cap 3|, the ball bearin s of the left-end head are held between the parallel and plane surfaces on the upper and lower guides 32 and 34 (see Fig. 5) which are secured to the pillow block by screws 61 and 63. A lip H on the guide 32 helps hold the trunnion ball bearings in position. The pillow block 40 is then cut away to the lines 36 to provide longitudinal movement of the bearing head 20 along the axis of the spindles. A revolution counter 38 records the total revolutions before failure of a specimen.

Two yokes I3 are pivotally hung from the bearing heads near their interfacing ends on knifeedge pivots, the pivots each consisting of a V block member 15 secured to the housings 2| by screws 11, and a knife-edge member 19 held in the upper end of the yoke '13 by a nut 8| (see Fi 6). The loading apparatus is hung on the lower ends of the yokes 13.

It is noted that the construction and arrangement of the bearing heads l8 and 30, and their spindle assemblies l5, and their collets 4|, is such that when a test piece I05 (see Fig. 8) is clamped in the collets, the two spindles and the test piece become as one beam for the purpose of applying a bending load while the beam is under rotation.

Heretofore, in machines of thisclass, it has been the custom to attain the required rigidity and the required axial alignment in the connection between the spindles and the test piece by providing the interfacing ends of the two spinclles with taper sockets, and the ends of the test piece with taper shanks, which were required to fit the sockets with great accuracy as to size, taper, alignment, and concentricity.

It will be obvious, however, that a test piece having ends of uniform diameter, as at 16, Fig. 8, is much simpler to produce, and, where each end is held in two suitably spaced apart collets, as seen in Fig. 3, the required rigidity and accurate alignment will be had at much less expense. An aligning bar I08, Fig. 7, is provided for the purpose of testing at intervals, the alignment,

of the axes of the two bearing heads l8 and 30.

The loading apparatus consists primarily of a beam balance 83, the beam 42 of which must at all times be kept in a horizontal plane in order to transmit the preset load to the specimen at all times. The mechanism for supporting and maintaining the beam balance horizontal includes a hanger 85 secured to the underside of the I beams in by bolts 14, the hanger 85 com prising a frame portion '12 with a hub casting 46 secured to its lower end by bolts 8]. The

underside of the hub casting 46 is closed by a member 41 held on by screws 16.

The member 41 has internal threads '18 which receive the external threads of a hollow screw 48 which is provided at its lower end with a handwheel portion 50. The shank 52 of a clevis 54 has external threads Which fit into the internal threads of the hollow screw 48. The arrangement is that of a conventional differential screw, that is, if the pitch of the threads 78 is .175 inch, and the pitch of the threads 80 is .180 inch, then one turn of the hand wheel 5|] will raise the clevis .180.175=.005 inch. Thus a fine adjustment may be had for keeping the beam 42 horizontal.

The clevis 54 is slotted and drilled to pivotally receive a V block hanger 56, the lower end of which is flattened and drilled to correspond to the clevis 54, while the upper end is adapted to hold the V block 83 which is held in place by a bolt 9|. Like hangers 56a, 56b, 56c and 5611 are used at other places in the structure, as will be hereinafter explained. The neck 58 of the casting 46 is internally splined as at 59 to receive corresponding'external splines on the shank of the clevis 54 above the threads 80, whereby the clevis 54 is kept from rotatinz, but allowed to move vertically in response to rotation of the hand-wheel 50.

A beam frame 82, to which the beam 42 is secured by nuts 84, carries the knife-edge holding studs 86 and 86a which hold the knife-edges B2 and 62a, respectively. These two knife-edges are in alignment with a knife-edge 80 provided for supporting the scale pan IIO from hanger 80 at the outer end of the beam frame, and in alignment with each other, all three being in a horizontal plane when the beam 42 is adjusted to a level position. A spirit level 88 on the beam frame 82 is employed to indicate when the beam is adjusted to level position. A runner 44 is slidable on the beam 42 for varying the applied load.

The two hangers 56a and 561) are joined by side plates 93 held on by bolts 95. A yoke 81 carries the knife-edge holding studs 88b, 86c, and 86d, which, together with knife-edges 62b, 82c and 82d, cooperate with hangers 56b, 56c and 56d. Links 88 are joined to the hangers 56c and 5611 by bolts I00, the upper ends of the links being joined to the yokes 13 by bolts I02. The links 88 extend through suitable openings in-the bedplate 9. l

The operation of the device is as follows: The bearing head 30 should preferably be moved to the left on the bedplate. 8, this being accomplished by first loosening the nut 65. a The one end of the aligning bar I08 should preferably be inserted through both collets H of the head 80, and the head 30 then moved toward the right until the aligning bar I08 enters both collets 4| in the head l8. This test is made merely to determine whether the two heads have for any reason gotten out of alignment. The left head 30 should then be withdrawn toward the left until the aligning bar may be removed. The test bar I06 should now be inserted through both collets of the left head 30, and the head again moved toward the right until the test bar enters both collets in the right head I8. i'he four collets 4| should now be tightened around the test bar by means of the nuts 48, and the left head 30 tightened on the bedplate by means of the nut 65.

the load applied. The approximate load is now put into the scale pan H0, and the runner 44 set to represent the fractional amounts of the load. The hand wheel 50 is then turned right of left until the level 88 indicates that the beam 42 is horizontal. The test bar I06 will now be deflected more or less as on curved line I04, except that, for illustrative purposes, the curve of the line I04 is greatlyexaggerated in the drawings.

Inasmuch as the load was applied after the collets and the head 30 were fastened in place, the curving of the axis of the test piece to the line I04 will obviously shorten the distance between the trunnion axes 20 and 28, but this is readily compensated for by the longitudinal movement of the ball bearing between the guides 32 and 84. The motor I2 may now be started, and the test piece rotated. Due to the manner in which the load is applied and the position of the trunnion axes 20 and 28, the axis of rotation of the test bar will remain on the curved line I04. It

should be kept in mind, however, that the curved axis I04 will always remain in a vertical plane passing through the normal center line of the bearing heads. Thus, each rotation of the test course, drop downward. The electric switch I I2,

Now, since only one pair at a time of the trunnion members of each head may be used, the bearings from the other pair of trunnion members must be removed. Assuming, for example, that it is desired to support the heads on the axes 20 and 28 of the trunnion members, the ball bearings 25 should be removed from the axes 22 and 26, which will leave the heads I8 and 80 rockable solely on the axes 20 and 28, respectively. The machine is now in condition to have provided for controlling the motor circuit, is so placed on the bedplate that the front end 24 of the bearing head l8 will strike the switch as the head tips downward, and thus shut off the motor until the attendant can remove the broken bar and replace it with another.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a material testing machine of the general character described having load supporting means, a load applying means which comprises a bracket attached to said machine, a load hearing link depending from said load supporting means, a beam adjusting stem extending upwardly from said bracket, a differential screw for adjusting said stem vertically, a scale beam,pivoting means connecting one end of said scale beam to the upper end of said stem, pivoting means connecting the scale beam near said one end to the lower end of said load bearing link, and a spirit level on said scale beam mounted thereon to indicate when said beam is adjusted to level position.

TUBE T. OBERG. 

